1. Field
This disclosure relates to a method for selectively eliminating metallic carbon nanotubes (“CNTs”), a method for preparing semiconducting CNTs using the same and semiconducting CNTs prepared therefrom.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electrical properties of carbon nanotubes (“CNTs”) may depend on their diameter and chirality. In general, CNTs may exhibit a conductivity similar to that of metal (referred to metallic CNTs) when the chirality indices (n, m) meet the relationship |n−m|=3q (where q is an integer). Further, CNTs may exhibit semiconducting characteristic (referred to semiconducting CNTs) when |n−m|≈3q.
Methods for separating metallic CNTs and semiconducting CNTs, selectively eliminating metallic CNTs or selectively synthesizing semiconducting CNTs may be available. These methods may be classified as follows:
(1) Separation of metallic CNTs and semiconducting CNTs through selective adsorption or selective elimination of metallic CNTs via selective chemical reaction in solution;
(2) Elimination of metallic CNTs through selective reaction using methane plasma; and
(3) Selective synthesis of semiconducting CNTs through arc discharge, laser ablation, plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (“PECDV”), or the like.